Returning Red

session 06/06

NEW YORK — 4 years ago

session 06/06

The door behind me clicked open. I flashed a peek, catching a clouded-up expression on Katherine's face. It was my last session and I was already counting bills to renew my classes. She loomed forward, to face me. Her finger Hoola-hooping a key and her other hand clasping small fingers that lead to Lily. 

"Bella," she said lightly and I stopped counting the cash bills in my hand. I looked up from the bills to Katherine standing in front of me. The orange sky above her was nearly like a Van Gogh-painted canvas of the calm dusk. Sitting on Dr. Katherine Carlyle's porch definitely instilled creativity in me. "You ready to go for a drive?" 

"A drive?" I seemed perplexed. I see Lily extremely eager as she smoothens her baby blue floral dress that brims the edge of her knees. Her white shoes cover her tiny feet making them look adorable. As I watch her, she nods, her lips stretching into a wide smile. "Okay," I say fluctuant. 

I stand up as I hand over the cash bills to Katherine. My brown bag slings to my side, hanging on my shoulders and I see Katherine glance at the bag and then at the green bills.

"I'm renewing the therapy sessions," I say to clear the cloud in her head. She lightly shakes her head and I frown. "You can't drop a patient until you specify the grounds on which you don't want to entertain them. There is a clause in your terms and conditions application that says only a disrespectful offense towards the therapist can permit them to deny the client's renewal." 

"Looks like someone's memorized my T & C." Katherine slowly smiled. She held my fingers that clasped the notes and pushed them back to me. "My therapist ethics don't approve of me taking money from my own family." 

I stared at the smirk that plastered on her face. She turned around dragging Lily behind her as she walked to her car. 

It took me a minute and then two honks to snap back into reality. A dark grey Toyota rav4 appears in the gateway. Katherine was sitting in the driver's seat, and Lily was peeping at me from the seat behind her. I quickly run to the passenger seat and plop inside. As soon as I put my seat belt on, Katherine starts driving. 

"How was your week?" Katherine asks me and I smile. 

"It was beautiful." I say quickly. "I feel beautiful and everything was just beautiful. My grandmother was always the life of the party. She never wanted anyone to be sad at her funeral. So we all spent the day with a smile. The time I spent with my family later was nice, the projects are going good, and everything was beautiful." I see Katherine smiling too. "I told my sister that I'm taking therapy and I spent this entire week telling her about you." 

"Oh, lord," Katherine's face hardened. "Please tell me you said things that make me look good." 

I laughed. "Yes, I could never say bad things about you." 

"Satisfying." Katherine chuckled. "Keep talking," she said and I grinned more. 

"Well, Grace knows literally everything about me. She was told to supervise me, but I have a feeling that she knows I'm finally better now." I nod. 

"Did you tell your parents?" Katherine asked and I sighed. 

"No, and I don't plan on telling them anytime soon either. Grace said she'd keep this between us and I think I'd like that for a while. When everything's stabilizing, I want it to stay this way for some time." I shrug. 

"Uh," Katherine glanced at my brown bag. "Do you still have pills inside your bag?" 

I close my eyes. "Yes?" I slowly look at her and her face hardens. "They're sealed. Unopened. It's just, there. I haven't taken them."